Update (Oct. 7, 2025) – Just days after I again told Benson J. Fischer and his attorney to stop contacting me unless they are ready to settle by reimbursing my costs and apologizing, I received yet another aggressive email from Mr. Fischer. Instead of respecting my cease‑contact request, he accused me of “extortion,” insisted my September 20, 2025 blog post was “false and misleading,” and misrepresented my offer to resolve the matter. This behaviour is part of an ongoing pattern of harassment that I’ve been documenting over the past six months.
The background
If you’re new to this saga, here’s a quick recap:
- April 2025: I published a forensic audit of ZivZo, LLC’s marketing claims and later exposed their attorney’s threats. You can read those posts here:
- Richard Schimel and Benson Fischer Are Suing Me for $6 Million—Here’s Why That’s Ridiculous
- Benson Fischer: The Lawsuit Is Filed — And Now Comes the Gaslighting
- June–July 2025: In response to our posts, Fischer and Schimel filed a $6 million SLAPP suit and attempted to weaponize a restraining order. I wrote about how this was classic lawfare: ZivZo’s TRO: Lawfare as Spectacle — How Fischer & Schimel Are Trying to Silence Criticism (And How You Can Fight Back).
- September 2025: I published Lawfare Gone Wrong: How Benson Fischer and Richard Schimel’s Attempts to Silence Critics Keep Failing explaining their pattern of using courts to intimidate critics. On September 20, I posted The Public Record on Benson J. Fischer: What Multiple Courts Have Already Said, a detailed summary of judicial findings of bad‑faith litigation and sanctions against him.
- October 3, 2025: Their peace‑order petition against me was dismissed because neither Fischer nor Schimel bothered to show up for the hearing. See my post Peace Order Dismissed: Another Lawfare Loss for Benson Fisher & Richard Schimel documenting the court docket. That post includes links to all prior articles for context.
Throughout this timeline I have repeatedly asked Fischer and Schimel to stop contacting me directly and to communicate only through formal legal channels. I even offered to consider a comprehensive resolution that involved their withdrawal of the lawsuit, reimbursement of costs, and a public apology. Instead, they continue to send aggressive emails and make unfounded accusations while ignoring my cease‑contact requests.
The latest email
On October 7, 2025, I received yet another message from Benson Fischer. Despite my prior notice that further contact would be considered harassment, he sent the following (emphasis added):
“I see that you continue to post false and misleading information about me…
Your latest post only reinforces your pattern of criminal behavior. You continue to ‘turn up the heat’ in an effort to extort me to capitulate to your demands to remove all 10+ of your internet posts… In your email to my attorney dated September 27, 2025 you state: ‘If Mr. Fisher wishes to discuss a comprehensive resolution that includes dismissal of the pending case and reimbursement of costs, I am open to that conversation’.
… Your extortion went from ‘Stop attacking Nautical Bowls’ to now demanding money and a dismissal of my lawsuit against you as a condition to remove all of your internet posts.”
The background
If you’re new to this saga, here’s a quick recap:
- April 2025: I published a forensic audit of ZivZo, LLC’s marketing claims and later exposed their attorney’s threats. You can read those posts here:
- Richard Schimel and Benson Fischer Are Suing Me for $6 Million—Here’s Why That’s Ridiculous
- Benson Fischer: The Lawsuit Is Filed — And Now Comes the Gaslighting
- June–July 2025: In response to our posts, Fischer and Schimel filed a $6 million SLAPP suit and attempted to weaponize a restraining order. I wrote about how this was classic lawfare: ZivZo’s TRO: Lawfare as Spectacle — How Fischer & Schimel Are Trying to Silence Criticism (And How You Can Fight Back).
- September 2025: I published Lawfare Gone Wrong: How Benson Fischer and Richard Schimel’s Attempts to Silence Critics Keep Failing explaining their pattern of using courts to intimidate critics. On September 20, I posted The Public Record on Benson J. Fischer: What Multiple Courts Have Already Said, a detailed summary of judicial findings of bad‑faith litigation and sanctions against him.
- October 3, 2025: Their peace‑order petition against me was dismissed because neither Fischer nor Schimel bothered to show up for the hearing. See my post Peace Order Dismissed: Another Lawfare Loss for Benson Fisher & Richard Schimel documenting the court docket. That post includes links to all prior articles for context.
Throughout this timeline I have repeatedly asked Fischer and Schimel to stop contacting me directly and to communicate only through formal legal channels. I even offered to consider a comprehensive resolution that involved their withdrawal of the lawsuit, reimbursement of costs, and a public apology. Instead, they continue to send aggressive emails and make unfounded accusations while ignoring my cease‑contact requests.
The latest email
On October 7, 2025, I received yet another message from Benson Fischer. Despite my prior notice that further contact would be considered harassment, he sent the following (emphasis added):
“I see that you continue to post false and misleading information about me…
Your latest post only reinforces your pattern of criminal behavior. You continue to ‘turn up the heat’ in an effort to extort me to capitulate to your demands to remove all 10+ of your internet posts… In your email to my attorney dated September 27, 2025 you state: ‘If Mr. Fisher wishes to discuss a comprehensive resolution that includes dismissal of the pending case and reimbursement of costs, I am open to that conversation’.
… Your extortion went from ‘Stop attacking Nautical Bowls’ to now demanding money and a dismissal of my lawsuit against you as a condition to remove all of your internet posts.”
Mr. Fischer mischaracterizes my positions. I have never demanded payment in exchange for “silence.” I simply stated that if he withdrew his baseless lawsuit and reimbursed the thousands of dollars his actions forced me to spend, I would consider the matter resolved. That is not extortion; it is a standard request for costs and an apology from someone who instigated meritless legal actions.
More importantly, the email demonstrates he has continued to contact me after I expressly told him to stop. In my September 27 email I wrote: “Please direct any future The fact that he through proper legal channels. Do not contact me personally again.” The fact that he ignored this instruction and continues to send hostile messages underscores the harassment.
This is not an isolated incident. Over the past six months, Fischer and Schimel have:
- Filed multiple lawsuits and petitions (including a federal civil action and a Maryland peace‑order petition) that courts have repeatedly dismissed or are likely to dismiss. Each time, they use legal filings to generate headlines and then fail to show up or provide evidence.
- Sent dozens of emails and LinkedIn messages threatening criminal prosecution, demanding that I take down posts, and accusing me of defamation. Whenever I respond with facts and documentation, they move the goalposts or shift the narrative.
- Ignored cease‑contact requests. In late September I explicitly instructed them to stop contacting me unless they were willing to discuss reimbursement and a withdrawal of the lawsuit. Nevertheless, they continue to send messages like the one above.
This behaviour fits the definition of harassment under Maryland law: repeated, unwanted communications after being told to stop. It also illustrates why anti‑SLAPP statutes exist: to prevent individuals from using legal threats to silence protected speech.
Why document this publicly?
I am posting this update for two reasons:
To protect myself and others. Documenting repeated harassment creates a record for the courts and shows a clear pattern. If you are facing similar intimidation tactics, please know that you are not alone. Save every email, screenshot, and document. Courts look unfavourably on those who misuse the legal system to silence criticism.What’s next
I have nothing to hide and no desire for endless litigation. My position remains the same:
- Withdraw the baseless lawsuit.
- Reimburse the legal and travel expenses you forced me to incur.
- Issue a public apology for the threats and harassment.
Short of that, I will continue to publish the truth and defend my First Amendment rights. I invite journalists, lawyers, and anyone interested in free speech to review the underlying documents. You can find them linked throughout this post and in the archive at Benson‑Fischer.com.
In the meantime, this article serves as another entry in the growing record of Benson J. Fischer’s pattern of harassment. I hope it encourages others to stand up against attempts to weaponize the courts and silence honest criticism.
For further reading:
Richard Schimel and Benson Fischer Are Suing Me for $6 Million—Here’s Why That’s Ridiculous
Peace Order Dismissed: Another Lawfare Loss for Benson Fisher & Richard Schimel
The Public Record on Benson J. Fischer: What Multiple Courts Have Already Said
Transparency and accountability. Every assertion I make is backed by public records, court documents, or direct correspondence. When someone with a documented history of bad‑faith litigation accuses me of “extortion,” the best response is to publish the evidence and let readers decide.
More importantly, the email demonstrates he has continued to contact me after I expressly told him to stop. In my September 27 email I wrote: “Please direct any future correspondence through proper legal channels. Do not contact me personally again.” The fact that he ignored this instruction and continues to send hostile messages underscores the harassment.